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The United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) is convening a scientific-practical conference on July 1-2 in Dushanbe, Tajikistan.

Representatives from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, as well as Russia, Belarus, Georgia, and Moldova, will discuss key issues under the convention and ways to address them through sustainable land management, land degradation neutrality, and early response to drought, as well as mitigation of the effects of sand and dust storms.

Delegates will present information on specific countries and regions, and will also focus on the important role of secure land rights as a catalyst for women's involvement in land management, according to the UNCCD website.

As UNCCD Executive Secretary Ibrahim Thiau said, speaking at the 10th Nevsky International Environmental Congress in early June: “No corner of the globe is immune from the devastating effects of climate change, biodiversity loss, land degradation and drought. Sea levels are rising, oceans are acidifying, the Arctic is melting, forests are burning, weather storms are intensifying. Droughts hit everywhere and with greater force...”.

He urged everyone to think about land restoration as a powerful and cost-effective tool for sustainable development.

Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. 2024 is also the year of the COP16 Convention, which will be held in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification is the only legally binding global treaty created to combat land degradation and the effects of drought.

Sharing and deepening knowledge about drought tolerance, sustainable land management and restoration is key to improving land and livelihoods.

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